NIFCA

Our children are Becoming Adults - The Idea of Farms for Autistic Persons

Some months ago, the Krakow Chapter of the State (Polish) Autism Association started the initiative to create a FARM for grownup autistic persons in the village of Wieckowice near Krakow. The parents of grown up autistic children are particularly interested in this idea; they would like to see a place of permanent residence, where their children would feel at home, and, at the same time where they could develop their skills and interests, and where they would work. Even though the idea of a FARM has been defined, de facto, it is based on our somewhat misty dreams and wishes. The whole matter requires serious planning and a thorough, substantial preparation. We have studied the literature on this subject, which while it has increased our competence, has at the same time given rise to many doubts. In our presentation of the idea of farms, we are counting on comments and discussions, which will help us in the final defining of our plan.

Why a FARM?

Bernard Rimland poses this question in his introduction to a monograph on European farms by Norman and Jane Giddan, published in 1994. Rimland analyses different solutions regarding permanent residences for grown-ups with autism in American institutions and group homes, both in urban and rural settings, following the strong tendency to de-institution- alization, and he lists the following arguments for creation of such places in the country:

l. Rural homes assure long-term duration. The group homes created in California urban settings were, in most cases, very short-lived. They grew quickly, and were quickly closed. Homes situated in the country have a better chance of permanency.

2. Rural homes provide better a safer environment for their residents. City life is much more stressful, even for people without any mental problems. Losing the keys or getting lost in city transport system may be a trying experience for anyone, but especially for an autistic person.

3. Rural homes provide better possibilities for performing tasks which make sense to autistic persons. For instance, taking care of animals or cul-tivating vegetables is much more understandable and satisfying than pinning together innumerable sheets of paper and stuffing innumerable envelopes.

4. Rural homes provide social interaction with compatible people. The idea of integration notwithstanding, it is quite certain that many challenged people feel happiest among those who are similarly challenged. Also, some "integrated" persons working in protected work place are quite unhappy.

The arguments cited above are the result of the personal observation of Rimland and his wife - the parents of an adult, autistic son, Mark. He qualifies his remarks by stating that one has to remember that what suits one person may not necessarily suit another, because everyone is a unique individual, whether autistic or not. Therefore, any option, whether it be urban, rural, or institutional, may be good and proper, for what matters most is the social relations within the given milieu. The quality and permanence of the ties determine the degree of cohesiveness among a group of people, and especially of those sharing a common residence. One must then consider the central aspect of the problem under discussion, namely community.

Community

When we talk about creating a place of permanent residence for our grownup children where they would feel at home, when we talk of personal belongings, furniture, bedroom setting; about the ordinary rhythms of everyday life, as well as of tranquility, safety, collaboration -- we are referring to communal life. The title of the book dealing with farms which I quote is: European Farm Communities for Autism , and the term "community" used there may be defined as:

1) society, commune; society (local), the public
2) a collective
3) a community of interests (of property, character, business)

It seems that this last definition describes best our institutions and also corresponds to the described European farms for autistic persons. They are FARM communities, or rural communities. I shall pause for a moment and quote two examples of definitions of "community. The first is: "it is" a group characterized by high cohesiveness, solidarity, mutual good will, whose members voluntarily serve one another, in contrast to an association based on mutual exchange of services. A family is an example of such community, (quoted from The Small Psychological Dictionary, published by Wiedza Powszechna, Warsaw, 1965, p. 169).

Another definition states that a community is a social group united by social and psychological ties. In the first case the ties are formed "on the basis of 3 kinds of personal, social relations: family (kinship), neighborhood and friendships resulting from the similarity of life situation. The community of this kind is close to the traditional rural society."

In the other case, when the community involves a psychological tie, the members are united not only by objective connections, but also by common convictions, feelings and accepted values: depending on the kind of psychological tie one can speak of national, religious etc. community ( quoted from the, Great Universal Encyclopaedia, PWN, 1969, pp. 517-518).

I have quoted these definitions in order to encourage all interested persons to think about the complicated problems connected with the idea of a FARM as a COMMUNITY, and especially a farm created for autistic persons. I shall return to this question after presenting a general description of existing European Farms, and after discussing two of them: "La Pradelle" in France and "Dunfirth Community"in Ireland.